FashionTravel

Santa Margherita Ligure & Portofino

By August 31, 2017 No Comments

I had never been to Italy before so I knew it was on the top of my European destinations to visit. So upon my visit I decided to base myself in the resort town of Santa Margheruita in the Italian Riviera (dosn’t that sound fabulous when you say it outloud), a very short distance from the romantic Portofino. We stayed in the Imperial Palace Hotel which was beautiful & had incredible beach access. And by beach….I mean rocks. Those sandy toes are the one thing I miss in Italy but it’s such an incredibly beautiful country I think this damsel in distress will just about survive without her sand! The hotel had a great location & great food having dinner there on two nights & lunch in the beach cafe upon arrival.

 I packed ALOT for this holiday (no surprises there). My khaki crochet bikini was so comfortable & thankfully I was able to swim in it without destroying it (winning at life) , you can shop it here. The orange criss-cross swimsuit click here conveniently doubles up as a body over my ripped high waist shorts click here. My Miu Miu glasses, which were very Italian Riviera inspired were picked up for a steal here. Turbans, as every fashionista knows, were the poolside accessory this summer & mine is Zara click here. My black crochet dress below is from hereThe town itself has everything you need from cafes, restaurants & high end stores with that effortless Italian touch. Throw in it’s beautiful harbour full of yachts & few old fashion Aston Martins spinning through the streets, and it will make you feel like you stepped onto the set of a classic James Bond movie. On one of the evenings we dined at a cute seafood restaurant called Skippers. Your table is on the water so if you don’t get motion sickness you will totally appreciate the novelty. The food was delicious and great value. We spent the night feeding ducks which turned out to be feeding more like 100 fish that bullied the ducks. Nights entertainment complete. We also attended a nearby area Torre De Lago for an evening at the Opera with the Puccini Festival. I have been to a couple of Operas before but this is something else….its outdoors, on a lake with La Boheme being performed. That most romantic of them all! Dream!

Portofino which is very close by, is one of Europeans most beautiful & charming harbours. The town of Portofino itself can be difficult to get to in high season. As the village is so tiny the police don’t let cars through. It’s windy cliff road is lethal to walk on so prepare to fork out for a hefty taxi fair or the boat. There are buses available from town to town but are more like sardine tins in 32 degree heat. So I would pass on the bus and grab a cherry gelato & a boat ride instead. Portofino as a harbour village is exactly as if it was taken out of a postcard. With its pastel coloured villas hugging the coastline, it is well worth the visit for the strolling, people watching & gelato alone!  

On our visit we dined in the gorgeous Le Terrezza Restaurant in the Belmond Spendido Hotel. It’s located on quite the hill, so brace yourself if you plan on walking it. But this place will blow you away with its sea views. It’s relaxed, but stunning so dig out your Sunday best and enjoy the experience while indulging in lobster ravioli & Rosè. My floral two piece complimented well with the gardens at the Splendido click here. It’s probably one of the most romantic hotels I have ever been to and (fun fact) Elizabeth Taylor had her honeymoon here! How divine!

Hope you enjoyed and that this post has given you inspiration to visit one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to!

Aoife x

Author Aoife Walsh

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